Guiding unit for braiding spools in braiding machines

ABSTRACT

The guide groove-engaging portion of a shuttle for a braiding machine is constructed so that both surface portions thereof engaging the walls of the groove are in surface contact with these walls at the point where groove portions cross one another to form a loop, while end portions of this shuttle element are convex portions merging with these surface portions. The guide groove itself is of different width and curvature in its various portions. In general, it has a large radius and is relatively wide. In the loops it has considerably smaller radius but it is slightly wider. At the crossing point it has an intermediate radius, but in order to secure the surface contact already mentioned, at this point it has a minimum width.

United States Patent 1 Strangfeld [4 1 Mar. 5, 1974 4] GUIDING UNIT FOR BRATDING SPOOLS 1N BRAIDING MACHINES [75] Inventor: Reiner'Strangfeld, Oldenburg,

Germany [73] Assignee: August Herzog Maschinenfabrilk,

Oldenburg, Germany 22] Filed: May 28, 1971 1211 Appl. No.: 147,972

[52] U.S."Cl 87/50, 87/37, 87/55 [58] Field of Search 87/20-22, 30, 37, 87/38, 39, 40, 44, 50, 51, 55-57 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,766,683 6/1930 Petersen 87/55 2,096,592 10/1937 Petersen 87/30 1,154,964 9/1915 Bentley..... 87/22 X 1,165,361 12/1915 Pegg 87/38 1,449,749 3/1923 Hale v 87/38 1,470,920 10/1923 Hale 87/55 2/1929 Corbett ..87/37 2/1939 Krippendorf 87/50 X Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney, Agent, or FirmA. C. Nolte, Jr.; Edward B.

Hunger; C. Bruce Hamburg 5 7] ABSTRACT The guide groove-engaging portion of a shuttle for a braiding machine is constructed so that both surface portions thereof engaging the walls of the groove are in surface contact with these walls at the point where groove portions cross one another to form a loop, while end portions of this shuttle element are convex portions merging with these surface portions. The

guide groove itself is of different width and curvature in its various portions. In general, it has a large radius and is relatively wide. In the loops it has considerably smaller radius but it is slightly wider. At the crossing point it has an intermediate radius, but in order to secure the surface contact already mentioned, at this point it has a minimum width.

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 3,795,171

SHEET IN 2 INVENTOR RE/NER STRANGFELD ATTORNEYS 1 GUIDING UNIT FOR BRAIDING SPOOLS IN BRAIDING MACHINES BACKGROUND AND NATURE OF THE INVENTION conditions, but the desired success has not been obtained thus far.

The invention improves the conditions by a new way of proportioning the shuttle and groove parts. It uses a curved shuttle most closely and extensively fitting the groove at the crossing point, and having localized surface portions fitting the groove in other areas. The side walls of the shuttle have curvature and distance similar, respectively, to the curvature and distance of the groove walls at said point, while the end walls of the shuttle have convexity (toward the groove) which is approximately tangent with the side walls. The convex end walls can be curved or cornered.

v DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a part of a machine containing the guiding groove, the view being taken along line 1-l in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic view of modifications of groove and shuttle portions shown in FIG. 1, each of these latter three figures showing different arcuate parts a, b and c of the groove and the engagement thereof with one of the shuttles.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively aplan view of the machine with the top part thereof removed, and a partial section taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first, for general orientation, to FIGS. 5 and 6, the machine has guide grooves 1 for shuttle elements 2, these grooves being shown as having four loops and-being formed in upper and lower plates 10 and 11 which are suitably interengaged to rotate to gether about the center of the machine, for example by a pinion, not shown, engaging'the outer periphery of the lower plate. The two plates are spaced apart by a spacer and bearing element 13, which also serves with the aid of bolt 14 and nut 15 to hold a heart-shaped cam 12 as part of top plate 10 on bottom plate 11.

Bobbin spindles of shuttles 2 are formed on supports 21 which have the groove engaging part 2 for top plate 10 directly on their undersides, also having a similar groove-engaging part 22 spaced therebelow but rigidly connected therewith. Between the two grooveengaging parts 2, 22, support 20 has cylindrical portion 23. This portion is engagable by arms 24 of a star wheel which forms a rigid lower part of a pinion 25 on bearing 13, this pinion being continuously and relatively rapidly rotated by an outer stationary gear (not shown) to engage successive shuttles, move them around the loops,

and release 'them for further motion toward the next loop.

As generally shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and more clearly shown in FIG. 1, provision is made according to the invention to guide shuttles 2 in groove l with close although sliding engagement' with the walls of the groove, particularly at the crossing point constituting the beginthe characteristics described here with regard to shuttle element 2 and the groove which it engages apply also to element 22 and its groove.

In further accordance with the present invention, shuttle element 2 has sidewalls which have approxi mately concentric curvature so that the element substantially constitutes a ring segment. Between the curved sidewalls the element has end portions 3 which are convex toward the groove and which .merge with the sidewalls. These and portions can be rounded as in FIG. l or slightly cornered as in FIG. 2, 3 and 4 As shown in FIG. 1, groove 1 has slightly curved portion A where the outer and inner sidewalls have relatively long radii, leading to the center of the rotating plate and identified respectively as R11 and R12. In the crossing region B the groove has smaller outside and inside radii R21, R22 and in the loop it has even shorter outside and inside radii R31, R32. Ends of the differently curved groove portions A, B, C are substantially tangent with one another but also provide transition between the relatively wide groove design in areas A and C and the narrow shuttle guiding groove design in the crossing region B. As additionally shown in FIG. I, rounded end 3 of shuttle element 2 is substantially a half-circle tangent with the curved outer and inner sidewalls of the shuttle element.

By means of these features, and which will be understood most readily by reference to FIG. 2b, shuttle 2 is guided into and through the crossing of groove 1 with substantially no opportunity for side impact against the pointed metal portions constituting this crossing- On comparison between FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be noted that for this purpose it is relatively unimportant whether the shuttle has rounded end3 or slightly cornered end 4, formed in accordance with the principles noted above. The cornered ends are easier to produce and are not necessarily inferior in result.

In fact, as indicated by FIG. 3, there can be an advantage in using a cornered end element 5 on the shuttle. This element 5 ha flat outer portions 51 which substantially have surface contact with the groove in the loop (FIG. 3c It has flat inner end portions 51 having substantial surface contact with the groove between the loops (FIG. 30), while having intermediate sidewall portions 53 hugging the sidewalls of the groove at the crossing point in according with the basic principle of the invention. As shown in FIG. 3b, the outer and inner point surfaces 51, 52 can be part of circular arc 54,55. However as shown in FIG. 4, they can also be part of planar areas 56, 57.

It will be seen that pursuant to the arrangement of FIGS. I and 2, lateral excursions of the shuttle relative to the groove, in response to various force derived for example from the bobbin on spindle 20, are avoided.

According to FIGS. 3 and 4, lateral excursions are also avoided in the loops. The forms of FIGS. 2 and 4 are particularly easy to produce. Very smooth operation, I

width than at the intersection and having portions of both greater and lesser curvature than said given curvature and a groove engaging element of the shuttle unit,

comprising approximately a segment of a ring and having substantially the same width and curvature as said given curvature.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the groove engaging element has rounded ends.

3. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the groove engaging element has cornered ends convex to the faces are substantially planar. 

1. A shuttle unit for a braiding machine comprising a groove structure including a loop, the groove crossing over itself to define an intersection, the surfaces defining the groove at the intersection being approximately concentric and of a given curvature, the groove, in regions other than said intersection having a greater width than at the intersection and having portions of both greater and lesser curvature than said given curvature and a groove engaging element of the shuttle unit, comprising approximately a segment of a ring and having substantially the same width and curvature as said given curvature.
 2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the groove engaging element has rounded ends.
 3. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the groove engaging element has cornered ends convex to the groove and substantially tangent to the sidewalls of the element.
 4. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the cornered ends have outer and inner surfaces approximately coincident respectively with the curvatures of the outer wall of the groove in the loop and of the inner wall of the groove between the loops.
 5. A unit according to claim 3, wherein the end surfaces are substantially planar. 